Saturday, February 25, 2012

Flash trip to Achalgarh Mount Abu

Birding in Mount Abu

A former friend and school mate dropped into Abu for the weekend, he's a keen photographer and loves trekking. After seeing my snaps of the birds and the photographs of Bera he made a beeline for this Abode so he could persue his love. He did get some lovely snaps of birds.Walter a class mate of his also accompanied us on the trip to Achalgarh. I aslo got some some great snaps have a Deekoo!

Eddie in action

Wild Ducks

In flight

These ducks will be taking off shortly

Black winged stilt

On the way

Is that really me

Black shouldered Kite

Buzzard

Taking off

In flight

White wagtail

Awesome look

Indian Roller

Crested bunting female

Anyone for reflreshing masala radishes be warned they are Rs5/- each

Nakki Swan

Friday, February 24, 2012

The Plastic Graveyard of Mount Abu

Uncovering Mount Abu’s Plastic Graveyard Accounts

Sealing the gateway to the official Abu Dump

The trip towards Gurushikar and Achalgarh has witnessed Mount Abu’s official dumping place for what seems like an eternity, giving it the frightening moniker of the Plastic Graveyard. Despite the hopeful expectation that dumping would stop after the “Durga Impex” dumping business from Udaipur took over the rubbish collection contract, reality proved otherwise. Udaipur’s projected rubbish incinerator never happened, leaving this attractive region saddled with piling waste.Traveling through this once-disgusting stretch during the rainy season became a terrible experience for visitors en route to Gurushikar. Today, there is a silver lining: dumping at this location is prohibited. To emphasize this milestone, authorities have sealed off the gateway with a forbidding wall.

While this should be cause for celebration, the narrative takes a turn as garbage trucks, now barred from their customary dumping areas, have chosen alternate locations on the outskirts of town and even on privately owned properties. The fight against the plastic epidemic continues, and while Mount Abu’s Plastic Graveyard may have closed one chapter, the tale of waste management continues to unfold in unexpected places.

Plastic graveyard of Mount Abu

Plastic graveyard of Mount Abu another angle

On the 16th of February 2012, when I hiked towards Wordsworth's farm after my Bera trip, I was drawn in by the abundance of Jungle crows and a lone eagle sitting on the Hill, keeping a vigilant eye over the trash. Curiosity got the best of me when I saw this scenario and reached for my trusted camera. I set out along a bush track, ultimately finding myself behind the dump.

There, I came to a terrible sight: the horse I had previously described in my blog had been discarded only a day or two before. Fortunately, the area's wildlife, which included hyenas, jackals, and a leopard, had not yet spotted the carcass. This unexpected encounter painted a vivid picture of the cycle of life and death in the wilderness.

The Poor chap had served his purpose and left to die in the winter cold

Solitary Eagle On The Hill

Long-billed crows waiting to scavenge on the horse

Shikra

Monday, February 20, 2012

Bera Rajasthan

Some more snaps of this Incredible Place, where the Leopards and the antelopes run Free.

Peahen

Bar-Headed Geese

Karvanda

Ringed dove

Ducks at Jawai

Button quail

Saturday, February 18, 2012

INCREDIBLE BERA

View The Leopards Lair Resort Bera Rajastahn in a larger map

My love for this place dates back to the early 1980’s, Mr. Devi Singh and I have been good friends and I have spent some wonderful times here, fishing, trekking, and roaming this cowboy country with it’s beautiful and matchless granite rocky hill formations.

When I tell people of this fascinating place and the wonderful animals one gets to see here, they retort “Mate you have been in the desert too long, you were probably hallucinating “ Well they say a picture is worth a thousand words, Go ahead and enjoy my recent “HALLUCINATIONS”

THESE PHOTOGRAPHS WERE TAKEN ON VALENTINE’S DAY AND ON THE FOLLOWING DAY

Zara the Female Leopard

Watching the world go By

Took these snaps around 4.30pm

Humans you look like a lovely meal

Rather take a nap than a snap at you

Slurp that was a wonderful meal

Looking right into the camera lens

Blue Bulls (Neel Gui )

Blue Bull on the run

A huge Crock at the Jawai Dam

These crock pictures taken at the Jawai Dam.

While having a few refreshers after our evening safari, our host Kunoo kept us amused with some real down to earth experiences he’s had with some of his guests on safari’s one such episode goes like this.

“ Bappu, can I have a look through your binoculars at the crocodiles that you are viewing”

Sure see the one over there, the guest views through the binoculars and see one crock with its mouth open, excitedly he passes it to his companion and tells him “Jo-Jo Aunu modhu kulhu chai” (Look,man look it has its mouth open), Na,bhai na aunu modu bandh chai. (no, man no its mouth is closed)Mane jovade (let me have a look) surprised he turns to the host and asks him, Bappu, remote control chai soo?? ( Sir do you have a remote control ) the host is blown flat off his feet, REMOTE CONTROL for what?? The reply he gets “to open and close the jaws of the crocks!!!!